Foot and mouth-hit farmers are to meet with an African bishop whose diocese has also been hit by the disease.

The Bishop of Botswana, Theo Naledi, and his wife Martha will visit a farm in Allendale on Saturday to hear how the North coped with the farming epidemic in 2001.

His visit comes as part of a new companion link between Botswana and Newcastle, which will be signed at St Nicholas's Cathedral on the same day.

The Reverend Peter Ramsden, chairman of the link committee, said: "There has been a foot and mouth outbreak in the north of Botswana, so it will be helpful for Bishop Theo to talk to people about their experience here.

"This link is about raising our horizons to learn about the experience of the worldwide church."